By Joe Ezuma
Assistant Editor, South South
Rivers State government has rolled up its sleeves to continue work on old and new projects, including the development of Greater Port Harcourt City (GPHC).
GPHC was conceived to remove it from the status of one city and to cater for the burgeoning population of Port Harcourt, the Garden City.
Many natives and agencies are on a land hawking spree in areas designated part of GPHC either out of panic by genuine land owners or by fraudulent land speculators.
Desmond Akawo, the new administrator of GPHC, said it is the vision of the century to transform from one city state to a multicity state.
He argued that it is no longer befitting to call Port Harcourt the Garden City because it is threatened by over population, citing the failure of past administrations to build satellite cities.
He expressed regret that Degema in the riverine area of the state, an ancient development centre which housed a British consulate, still remains rural.
“If we had developed Degema with its potential, it would have grown into a big city by now,” Akawo explained.
He listed other areas that would have transformed into satellite cities, if efforts had been made, to include Isiokpo, Elele Ahoada, and Omoku Bori.
Akawo, former Nigerian a mbassador to South Korea, said GPHC is anchored on a tripod that would open up the international airport area to Onne Port, south east of Port Harcourt, as well as the old Port Harcourt City.
This industrial triangle will be linked by a 10-lane road.
He disclosed that the 45-kilometre Omagwa-Onne Road of 10 lanes has been completed up to 15 kilometres at a cost of N25 billion, adding that a lot of work is going on at GPHC phase one.
Akawo, who is also a former commissioner for water resources in the state, said a water scheme at phase one has been completed and a company is doing water reticulation.
The plan also includes installing close circuit television (CCTV) on the streets of the new city to assist the police in maintaining security.
He urged those seeking to acquire land to do so from the GPHC office, stressing, “surveying your land and getting the local government to stamp approval on your paper is not enough to qualify you to own it.”
